Directions:Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla and sugar. Add the egg, beat until fluffy. Stir in peanut butter. Add the flour, baking powder, and oatmeal. Mix until well combined. Fold in chips. Place tablespoon-sized scoops of dough on the lined cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake for 12 minutes and the bottoms are just golden. They might look slightly soft in the center but that is okay, they will firm up a bit while they cool. Allow to cool in the pan for a minute or two then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: about 2 dozen cookies

My thoughts:

We had some chunky peanut butter (normally we are "creamy" people) that was taking forever to finish so I decided to turn it into something tastier than it is on its own: cookies! Chocolate and peanut butter are a classic combination (or at least it has become one thanks to the advent of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups)and these cookies are sure to become a favorite. They are full of peanut flavor thanks to the bits of peanuts in the peanut butter but not oppressively so; you can still taste the distinctive flavors of the chocolate and the oats. The oats give the cookie some texture interest and add a bit of chewiness that I enjoy. Using dark chocolate chips keeps the whole thing from becoming cloyingly sweet tasting.

Update: I dropped most of these off at my Mom's house yesterday on the way to Blogher DC (you can read notes on the panel I was one here) and she gave them a rave review. She thinks they are her favorites of all the cookies I've made and that's really saying something!

I made these today and they are great...I like to bake cookies in muffin tins to get uniform cookies and real crisp edges...I did have to press theses down because the first batch maintained the shape of the scoop...but very delicious.